Mele Spies / Kitia e Mele

Book Author & Illustrator Dahila Malaeulu & Darcy Solia
Rights Available World

Paea loves playing games with her friends, especially a fun round of ‘I Spy.’ Join Paea as she explores and teaches colours in Tongan through this playful adventure.

Inspired by the bestselling Mila’s My Gagana series, first released in 2019, this bilingual edition offers two stories in one! The first story supports language learning with an English version, while the second features the same story entirely in Tongan. Perfect for readers of all ages, this book is designed to nurture language development and cultural connection.

About the Author

Dahlia Malaeulu is an award-winning Pasifika author and publisher, and creator of Mila’s Books—Pasifika children’s stories that help tamaiti (children) feel seen, heard, and valued. A proud Sāmoan New Zealander, Dahlia is passionate about all things Pasifika and founded Mila’s Books, the world’s only all-Pasifika publishing team.

She currently serves on the board of Read NZ Te Pou Muramura, shares Pacific stories with over 10,000 tamaiti across Aotearoa, New Zealand annually, and has received various business, creative, and book industry awards, including New Zealand’s Emerging Publisher of the Year in 2023.

Through Mila’s Books projects, over one hundred first-time Pasifika authors (children, students, educators, parents) have had their stories shared with the world, reflecting Dahlia’s life-long commitment to advancing Pasifika storytelling by and for Pasifika.